Putting Tips To Develop Your Eye And Feel
Putting tips so you can hone your eyes and feel for precision. For some reason most golfers hesitate the closer they get to the putting-hole. Confident putters putt with confidence they don’t hesitate. They build a solid routine for precision putting.
Many golfers play pot luck on the green, misjudging direction, line, break, distance and speed. This can be costly if you consistently three putt or worse.
Tiger Woods talks about golf mastery from the putting green first then working backwards to the tee, that is how he was taught. It makes sense.
If you really want to hone your eyes and hands, your feel for precision putting, then you have several variables you must consider. Direction, distance, speed, break, your line and the condition of the green to start with. Once you have your line and know the type of putt you intend to play it is time to go through your routine of your address, aligning ball and putter face and your putting stroke.
Your eye and feel for precision, then moves from assessing the line to playing the line. Having your feet well grounded and your eye over the ball looking towards the putting-hole.
It is as much about hand, eye coordination as it is mind, body coordination, focus and intention. Still in mind and body with crystal clear intention. Committed and playing the line with precision.
Ok let’s go through the setup and putt frame by frame.
Let’s start by looking from the ball to the hole, get as low as you can as though the ball has eyes too. Just note what you see. Notice the green, the slope and other characteristics that might give you an indication of the line, speed and slope of the green. Imagine how the ball would behave it leaves the putter face travelling along the line you choose. Notice in your mind any break to factor in.
If you strike the ball firmly it must hit the middle of the cup to go in. Is there enough break to try for a roll in from either side of the cup?
Look at the grass. Which way does the grain run? Look for things that could slow the ball down like longer grass, soft grass, moisture, water or even sand. Whereas dryness, a hard surface, or a freshly rolled or double cut green will be fast. Sometimes for competition a green can be like putting on glass.
Also take into account the weather conditions on the day and the impact that might have on the speed, line and break of the ball. Move across to the other side of the putting-hole looking back through the line from the hole to the ball. Again with a ball height view.
I also like to view things from a ninety degree angle as well either side. Imagine in your mind how the ball would travel. See the line.
A final check from behind the ball. Make your decision. You may have a couple of practice strokes to imagine the ball travelling the line, feeling the putter, feeling the swing and line in your mind and body.
Pick a line and commit to playing it precisely. Reality is you can pick any number of lines to the putting hole. It comes down to the impact and speed you play a line.
A few other things to practice and master is your address to the ball. Align the putter face first, followed by your feet, hands and elbows all square to the line. Then a final look from the ball along the line. Head still, and hands slightly forward.
Breathe to start your takeaway for a smooth pendulum motion backswing to downswing through the ball to the hole. You will get good rhythm and tempo through breathing and a smooth confident motion. Most of all putt with a putter that feels right in your fingers and soft hands
Enjoy these putting tips to help you achieve golfing excellence.
Tiger Woods Slow Motion golf Swing Vision – Nike Commercial